Technology has been an integral part of B-school education, whether it relates to the use of Bloomberg terminals to understand and learn about critical decision-making related to risk, investments and markets or using Tableau to learn data visualisation, which is the fundamental aspect of business analytics. With COVID-19 forcing educational institutions to switch to an online mode of delivery, B-schools in India have taken some strategic initiatives in how they use technology.
Use of Learning Management Systems(LMS)
While some institutions are using video-conferencing software, most have adopted a Learning Management System such as Google Classroom, Microsoft LMS, Moodle, Blackboard or Canvas to deliver their courses online as they make learning intersting and effective. This also allows them to administer, document, track, report and automate the delivery.
Access to Massive Open Online Courses (MOOCs)
Many institutions are offering specialised courses using online tech-based learning platforms.
For example, the University of Illinois Business School launched the first MOOC-based MBA with Coursera and restructured to make it possible for students to start courses any time and also save money.
Following this, The University of Pennsylvania Wharton School of Business also launched 18 MOOCs, focusing on critical skills and deeper explorations of business topics.
Having a high speed internet connection and a laptop/desktop is the only requirement for the student. Institutions are also tying up with global MOOC players to give free access to programmes along with valid certifications in addition to the regular courses offered by the institute.
Virtual access to library
Many B-schools have made their libraries virtual, thereby giving access to all books, journals and even software to its students, which can be accessed from any location.
Soft skills through technology
Indian B-schools are also investing in Virtual Reality (VR) and Augmented Reality (AR) to help students hone soft skills such as negotiation, engagement, and presentation.
Gamification of evaluation
In general, exams are a cause of stress for the students and evaluation is a cause of stress for the faculty. Gamification of evaluation using platforms like Kahoot or Socrative allows the teacher to conduct short quizzes, MCQs, short answer responses and other formats in a gamified fashion that makes evaluation fun and interesting for the student.
The writer is Director, Symbiosis Institute of Business Management (SIBM)
